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88
OFFICES.
The complaints which have been received during the past year with regard
to insanitary conditions in offices in which women clerks are employed may be
grouped under the following headings:—
Absence of any sanitary accommodation.
No separate sanitary accommodation.
Unsuitable or defective sanitary accommodation.
Offices overcrowded.
Offices in dirty condition.
These have all been investigated, and the defects found were, in every
instance, remedied.
One complaint which was received of absence of any means of heating in
an office was, on enquiry, found to be unwarranted, the whole building being
efficiently heated by hot-water pipes, and the rooms were well ventilated and
in good sanitary condition generally. The inspection, however, was not without
value, as in the course of it a condition of dampness (due to condensation)
was discovered in the conveniences set apart for lady clerks. On the
Manager's attention being called to this the necessary steps were taken to
remedy the nuisance.
In addition to the offices inspected an investigation has been made as to
the sanitary accommodation provided for women serving in tobacconists' and
other stalls at railway stations. It was found that in some instances these
employes had free access to the Ladies' Waiting Rooms at the Stations. In
the case of Stations where there is no Ladies' Waiting Room the firms
concerned were communicated with, and after some correspondence a
satisfactory arrangement was arrived at.
Your Women Inspectors have also dealt with several complaints which
have been made with regard to the sanitary accommodation provided for
women employed as Shop Assistants.
LADIES' WAITING ROOMS AT RAILWAY STATIONS.
The usual inspections of Ladies' Waiting Rooms at Railway Stations
have been carried out, involving one hundred and twenty-three visits.
The defects found were all of a minor character, and were promptly
remedied on being brought to the notice of the Railway Companies concerned.
The marked improvement in the condition of these waiting rooms since they
were first systematically inspected in 1902 has been well maintained.
One Ladies' Waiting Room has been closed during this year, viz., the second
class one at Holborn Viaduct Station.